More Aboriginal people live in Canada's cities than on reserves or remote parts of the country. Several generations have grown in relative silence until recent years when the Aboriginal community and governments began in earnest to focus on their Urban Aboriginal issues and needs. This forum is here for you to provide useful and creative information to help address those needs. Let's share what works, not just what's wrong.

Libby Davies reports on the progress to save Aboriginal projects that were threatened by lack of federal funding . . .

February 12, 2007

Dear Friends,

Earlier this month there was a crisis looming in our community due to the pending closure of homeless shelters and other organizations serving the
aboriginal population.

Shelters and food banks were among some of the programs set to close. The closures were due to a lack of funding from the federal government, and they would have had widespread and brutal results.

Then, an announcement was suddenly made by the Conservatives to provide the needed funds.

This announcement shows how hard work and activism – at both the community and political levels – can achieve successful results.

Because of the mobilization efforts in the community, coupled with the pressure applied by the NDP in Parliament, our message for more funding finally got
through! I’m attaching excerpts from our work to show how we achieved, together with the community, success in averting this potential disaster (even the
Conservatives recognized our work!). I will of course, keep pressing the Conservative government to maintain on-going funding for such essential
programs.

I write to ask for your immediate intervention to ensure ongoing funding for a number of Aboriginal housing and homelessness organizations in Vancouver East, and across the city.

Further to my letters to of January 19 and February 1, 2007, I have learned that federal funding agreements with several Aboriginal housing groups will expire in less than three weeks from today.

Despite the extraordinarily tight timelines, Human Resources and Skills Development will not provide any information about which groups may or may not
be funded after February 28, how much funding they may receive, or when a final funding decision will be made.

These organizations provide needed services, including emergency and second stage housing to hundreds of Aboriginal women, men, and families. The Lu’ma Native Housing Society provided 15,000 shelter bed nights last year, but they will be forced to lay off staff and close their doors in 19 days if an agreement is not reached under the National Homelessness Initiative.

I am sure you appreciate the dire consequences that this gap in services will cause for the hundreds of women escaping violence, or those seeking treatment
and shelter. Therefore, I ask that you act to protect these organizations, and ensure that a timely funding agreement is reached with Aboriginal housing groups in Vancouver.

Yours Sincerely,

Libby Davies, MP
Vancouver East

HANSARD House of Commons
February 9, 2007

Mrs. Irene Mathyssen (London—Fanshawe, NDP) :
Mr. Speaker, At^Losha Native Family Healing Services was promised funding and a contract in November last year under SCPI. They have heard nothing since. They
need the money for crash beds at their shelter.

Instead of beds, young men are sleeping on the banks of the river in London. This is shameful. It is unacceptable. This is winter. Some nights it is minus
25°.

Will the minister tell me when the funding will actually get to At^Losha?

There are less than eight weeks left and there are other organizations, like Vancouver's Lu'ma Native Housing Society and Young Wolves Lodge.

* * *

Mrs. Lynne Yelich (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, CPC) :

Mr. Speaker, on December 19, 2006 we announced the new two year $259.6 million homelessness partnering strategy which will be in effect April 1, 2007.

All the necessary steps are being taken to ensure that there is a smooth transition from the national homelessness initiative to the new homelessness
partnering strategy.

I am pleased to see that this will allow projects to be completed in the new fiscal year and this means that services to homeless persons will continue
without disruption.

We care about the homeless.

* * *
Conservative MP Recognizes NDP’s Fight for Housing

HANSARD February 9, 2007
Mrs. Nina Grewal (Fleetwood—Port Kells, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, the homelessness partnering strategy, which was announced in December, is already getting things done to provide shelter for the homeless. The cornerstone project in Victoria transformed a heritage building into homes
for poor families, in partnership with the province, the city, regional districts and housing trusts.

The NDP has suggested that the homeless will be left out in the cold without funding, as we transition to the new homelessness partnering strategy.

Could the parliamentary secretary update us on what Canada's new government is doing to ensure no group is left out in the cold?

Mrs. Lynne Yelich (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, I want to assure the member and inform the House that we are taking necessary steps to ensure that there is a smooth transition from the
national homelessness initiative to the new homelessness partnership strategy.

I am pleased to say that existing authorities, including the terms and conditions of the national homelessness initiative, have been extended by our
government to allow projects that cannot be completed in the 2006-07 fiscal year and they will be completed in the new fiscal year.